


i'm just trying to get you out the friend zone

by blueabsinthe



Series: Pegoryu Week 2020 [5]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Accidental Outing, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Kissing, Awkwardness, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Communication Failure, Confessions, Consent Issues, Experimentation, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Let Sakamoto Ryuji Say Fuck, Lying About Age, M/M, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Morgana, Outing, Pegoryu Week 2020, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25951174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueabsinthe/pseuds/blueabsinthe
Summary: He minds his own business about the things he hears and or, sees. Even if one of the things he sees includes Ryuji’s obviously ‘aged-up’ profile on a dating app.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Series: Pegoryu Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874917
Comments: 3
Kudos: 49





	i'm just trying to get you out the friend zone

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 for Pegoryu Week 2020. **Prompt:** Awkward teens. I'm so behind! *weeps* This prompt was a lot harder than it should have been. 
> 
> Quick note regarding the 'underage' warning. It's been tagged as such, because most, if not all, dating apps have a disclaimer of users being 18 years of age, or over. Nothing explicitly sexual takes place in the fic. More just a general warning to err on the side of caution. 
> 
> Title from a song by The Weeknd because I'm ~~basic~~ hilarious like that.

Ever since his probation started, Akira has adopted the ‘minds-his-own-business’ kinda attitude when it comes to gossip. Since the day he found out his record was leaked, he’s learned to keep his head down and his mouth shut.

The minds-his-own-business attitude has served him well. He’s managed to charm a few people over the months. Even managing to rebuild his reputation at school a bit. So, he keeps quiet about the things he hears and or, sees. 

Even if one of the things he sees includes Ryuji’s obviously ‘aged-up’ profile on a dating app. 

Akira is familiar with the app, having installed it back in his hometown. It started as a joke then. A bunch of his friends thought it’d be funny to create profiles on the app to see how many local people would show up in the search. If they fudged their age by a few years, no harm, right? 

And then his whole arrest, court proceedings, probation, and being shipped off to Tokyo happened. He hasn’t heard from anybody back home. His supposed friends seemed almost relieved when he left. 

When he first arrived in Tokyo and didn’t know anyone, the prospect of being on his own all the time almost made him open the app again. If only to see if it would help with meeting new people and making some new connections. After all, that’s what the app tried to market itself as. 

He never did access the app again. Seeing as how life had other plans for him. Between palace infiltrations and school commitments, his time was rather limited. The app languished unused for months on his phone. Until now.

It’s early September and summer break was over. It’s after school and Akira retreated to the roof for some quiet time. Morgana curls up on the ground and naps. He starts up the app, partly out of boredom and partly for shits and giggles.

The app pinpoints his location as Tokyo and he’s off to the races. Akira mindlessly starts going through the images, not recognizing any of the portraits appearing on the screen. He mentally cringes at some of the terrible images and what he guesses are pickup lines, until he freezes on a very familiar face.

Akira blinks at the image, hesitation combining with surprise. He blinks again, almost as if it’ll convince him of the fact it’s not Ryuji’s picture in his search results. He looks again. Nope, it definitely is his best friend staring up at him. Ryuji’s smile as bright as sunshine even in photos. Akira half-wonders if there’s something wrong with the app’s algorithm, or whatever it is the app uses to populate search results. A bug? At least he _thinks_ that’s what Futaba’s called them. Because why else would Ryuji’s profile show up? His next thought is maybe he could ask Futaba more about these ‘bugs’, or what she knows about app algorithm data, but the idea is quickly suppressed. Best not to get anyone else involved in what was a joke to begin with. 

Still … it didn’t stop the little flicker of something in his heart when he saw Ryuji’s picture. It’s not like he was sitting here proclaiming his expertise in dating. He’s - _they’ve_ \- been too busy changing hearts and trying to save the world to think about dating. 

He scrolls on his screen to see what else is on Ryuji’s profile, mulling over the countless conversations he’s had with Ryuji about dating. He's seen the way he sometimes stares at Ann's ample chest. And, he’s heard Ryuji plenty of times talk about girls, so he’s always assumed Ryuji _exclusively_ liked girls. Akira always assumed Ryuji’s desire was to have a girlfriend. 

Akira’s still contemplating whether the app has a bug or whatever, when he hears the door to the Shujin roof being pushed open. He turns his attention away from the screen, half-expecting Makoto to appear with a reminder about the roof being closed. What he sees instead is Ryuji, smiling at him with a grin so wide it makes Akira’s heart skip a beat.

“Hey,” Ryuji says, settling next to him, trying to keep the weight off his right leg. 

Akira nods and watches Ryuji from the corner of his eye. He wonders how he should bring it up, or if he should even bother. Minds-his-own-business attitude and all that jazz. He frowns, looking down at his phone like it has all the answers. He’s overthinking things, trying to make something out of a failed algorithm. No point making things awkward when they really shouldn’t be. He really should let it go. Surely if Ryuji wanted him to know about his dating escapades, he’d tell him. 

The desire to mention his finding to Ryuji is tempting. More tempting than Akira was willing to acknowledge. Never mind the long explanation he’ll have to give for why he has the silly app to begin with. Damn the stupid failed algorithm. 

“S’up, man?” Ryuji says, nudging Akira with his elbow, “somethin’ funny on your phone?”

”Something like that.” Akira looks around to make sure they’re alone. Morgana hasn’t stirred from his spot on the ground. “Wanna show you something,” he says before he can stop himself.

Ryuji furrows his brow skeptically but leans closer. 

Akira touches his phone screen before he holds it out to Ryuji. “I found this.” He runs a hand through his hair, smiles awkwardly. “Downloaded the app back home as a running joke. Didn’t even think to use it again until now because y’know, boredom. Anyway, that is to say … um, look.”

For someone who liked to constantly run his mouth, Ryuji goes pretty quiet after looking at Akira’s outstretched phone screen. It’s such a contrast to himself, seeing as how for the past few months, Akira’s constantly been told he’s the strong, silent type. Which he’s fine with. So, why was he struggling with annoyance now? Even if he had just - _maybe_ \- accidentally outed his best friend. Failed possible algorithm aside, it’s the longest they’ve sat next to each other and not said anything. 

Akira mentally goes over how best to tell Ryuji to forget everything that just happened. But, really, what was the best way to apologize for _Hey, I’m an ass, for maybe, sorta, accidentally, outing you?_ Unless he missed that part in _The Bro Code_. Was there really any way to apologize for it? 

He watches as the smile disappears from Ryuji’s face. “Uh … fuck,” Ryuji’s voice is lower than usual. Ryuji looks torn between staying where he is and running away. Akira can feel the nervous energy coming off Ryuji’s body in waves. 

_Crap_ , Akira thinks … he needed to fix this. Now!

Akira places what he hopes is a reassuring hand on top of Ryuji’s, silently thankful when he doesn’t pull away. “It was a joke when I was back in my hometown,” Akira starts, desperate to explain. “Some of my buddies downloaded it as a joke. I got bored today and ...”

Ryuji swallows heavily, before he finally turns his face to look at Akira. “Yeah, just a joke.”

“Look, I just - I mean, I’ve been meaning to …” Akira holds out his phone, making sure Ryuji can watch his movements. “I can delete it now and we can just - we can just forget this ever happened.” 

Akira stares at Ryuji, swallows visibly. He hovers his thumb over the app for a moment. “There,” he says, “deleted.”

He slides his phone into his pocket, his free hand runs its thumb over Ryuji’s knuckles. The silence is palpable, a nervous energy building between their bodies. Akira rests against the table, the tension and awkwardness spreading through his limbs.

“I meant to delete it too,” Ryuji says whisper-quiet, gnawing at his bottom lip nervously. He reaches a hand up to run through his hair. “Ugh, how embarrassing.”

Akira chuckles. “Tell me about it.” He pauses for a moment, then says, “Why’d you have the app anyway?”

So much for being a minds-his-own-business kinda person. 

Ryuji swallows visibly, looking like a deer in headlights as he does his best to look anywhere but directly at Akira. “I dunno. It was a stupid idea. I mean - ” Ryuji shrugs. “I just - crap - I don’t even know if that’s …”

Akira waves Ryuji off, embarrassment bubbling in his chest. “It was probably an error with the app.” He immediately follows up with a hurried explanation of, “That’s not to say I’m not okay with … I mean - well, if that’s how you feel then I’m okay with it. Either way, sorry, man.” 

Ryuji doesn’t answer right away. “Yeah, well. Stupid idea, right?”

“Right.”

Ryuji narrows his eyes at him, cheeks flushed, and Akira feels his traitorous heart skip a beat. _Just an error, just an error_ , he repeats. Then again, would it be the worst thing? Kissing Ryuji that is. He forces himself to look at Ryuji, hoping and praying his face doesn’t pick now to betray him. 

“Hey, ‘Kira,” Ryuji starts, “Y’know you can tell me anything, right?”

Akira jolts and sits up a bit straighter. The late afternoon sun makes him dizzy. He knows he should leave this alone. “It’s not … I’m not ...” He trails off, hoping his voice didn’t sound as defensive as he thought it did. The last thing he wanted was for things to change between them, all because of one stupid error.

Wordlessly, Ryuji moves so he’s standing in front of Akira, eyes locked on his. Akira watches as Ryuji’s eyes change, every unspoken thought he’s had swirling in the dark pools of brown. 

“Can I … I mean … l just - just wanna,” Ryuji mumbles softly. 

Akira shifts, his knees bumping against Ryuji’s. “Yeah …”

Ryuji laughs nervously, runs a hand through his hair, his gaze fixed on Akira. “Okay.” He hesitates, scrubs a hand over his jaw. “Do y’think it’s a good idea?”

“Honestly?” Akira can barely hear anything over the roaring in his ears. “Is it going to change anything?”

Ryuji slides his knee between Akira’s legs, wrapping a hand in the front of Akira’s shirt. They’re standing too close for anybody to mistake it as anything innocent, but Akira finds he can’t move. Doesn’t want to. They stare at each other a beat too long, both not moving, like they’re both waiting for permission. 

Akira can hear his heart beating through his ribs and tries not to stare at Ryuji’s mouth. He watches as the flush creeps up Ryuji’s neck and cheeks. Ryuji’s knuckles are white as they grip his shirt, almost as if it’s keeping him grounded. 

“Um -“ he starts to say, and then Ryuji’s dragging him across the space separating them, his hand still fisted in Akira’s shirt. 

Ryuji’s breath comes in short little puffs, tickling Akira’s lips as he shifts his body, his weight effectively pinning Akira against the table. If he wanted to, if he really tried, Akira’s quite sure he could get Ryuji off him. He doesn’t have much time to think on it, before Ryuji’s mouth is on his. Akira can feel the heat coming off Ryuji’s body in waves as he shifts one of his thighs between his leg. It’s surprisingly comforting. Ryuji pressing against him, his thigh warm between Akira’s legs as his lips move over his. Ryuji’s a little tentative at first, almost like he’s unsure about all this. 

As far as first kisses go, Akira thinks it’s better than expected.

He tries not to groan when Ryuji pulls away, a grin as bright as sunshine on his pink lips. “Bullshit.”

“Hm?” Akira tries to clear the cobwebs from his brain, realizing he’s hard in his pants now.

Ryuji’s eyes dance with amusement, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You know what I mean.” He leans down, nose rubbing against the side of Akira’s neck.

Akira huffs, a mixture of embarrassment and indignation in his tone. “Damn it, Ryuji. That’s not - oh, hell, just forget about it.”

Ryuji presses a chaste kiss to Akira’s lips. “Already forgotten.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://blueabsinthe18.tumblr.com/)


End file.
